Princess Tutu: The Last Hero
by ERiN OPPEL
Summary: AU. Once upon a time, the Final Draft reigned. Having cursed Gold Crown Town, the Raven sends his merciless legions to seize control of the story. Only Raetsel's band of Freedom Fighters stand against the tyranny, certain that Prince Mytho will return. Meanwhile, Duck seeks out the reclusive prince in an attempt to bring him back and help her discover the truth about her powers...
1. Disparate Pieces

**In keeping with this series being a retelling of** _ **Princess Tutu**_ **based on the new Star Wars trilogy, this installment will be inspired by** _ **The Last Jedi**_ **. While that movie went exactly how I expected for the first ¾'s, the B-plot and ending sorta lose similarities with** _ **Princess Tutu,**_ **so those parts will be significantly different (that's why this took so long; I was trying to figure out what to do with them). If you have not read "Princess Tutu Awakens", please do so before reading this story. If you have read it, go read it again because I recently revised all the chapters. Enjoy, and sorry for the long wait!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Princess Tutu or the plot of Star Wars.**

* * *

Princess Tutu: The Last Hero

 _By Erin Oppel_

Once upon a time, the Final Draft reigned. Having cursed the peaceful Gold Crown Town, the Raven now sends his merciless legions to seize control of the story. Only Raetsel's band of Freedom Fighters stand against the rising tyranny, certain that Prince Mytho will return and take his place in the story. Meanwhile, Duck seeks out the reclusive prince in an attempt to bring him back and help her discover the truth about her powers...

* * *

Chapter 1: Disparate Pieces

Duck watched the Prince intently as she held out his sword to him. She waited with baited breath for him to take it from her.

After what felt like an eternity, Mytho finally turned and began walking away.

 _What?_ Duck's heart sank. Her eyes went from the sword he neglected to receive to his retreating figure. Finding her voice, she called out, "Wait!" She did her best to catch up to him while carrying the heavy weapon. Unfortunately her awkwardness returned every time she transformed back into her regular girl form. "Please, Prince Mytho! Raetsel sent me to find you. You have to defeat the Raven for us!"

"I can't," was all he said without looking at her.

Duck was taken aback. "But…why not?" she asked, her eyes tearing up at his hopeless tone.

He glanced down but didn't answer.

When it seemed like she wouldn't get a response, Duck slowed to a stop. "Mytho…" She had come all this way, risked so much, fought so hard… and now it seemed like it was all for nothing. She set the Prince's sword down against a tree and wiped her eyes. _What is stopping Mytho from saving the town? He's so sad and lonely… I just wish I could help him._

Her pendant started to glow.

"Huh?" Duck looked at it, then glanced around. She spotted Mytho watching her from behind a tree.

Only, she _thought_ it was Mytho. But his body was translucent, as if it were made of scarlet light. She only got the briefest look at him before he hid himself.

Curious, Duck trekked through the trees in the direction of the strange figure, which led her to a rocky area. When she got close, it darted away in the corner of her eye. "Oh, come back!" She spun, trying to find it again. But to her disappointment it was gone.

Instead, however, she noticed a jagged hole between a couple of the boulders. It almost looked like a slanted shelf. In it were a few old-looking books. _I wonder what these are,_ Duck thought as she reached out.

"Who are you?" the real Mytho suddenly spoke behind her.

"Ah!" Duck faced him in surprise. There was no sense of curiosity or wonder in his voice. No relief or even hope. Maybe he had been waiting so long that he doubted help would ever come. Wanting to instil trust in her prince, she replied, "My name is Duck. Raetsel and the Freedom Fighters sent me."

"Why you?"

Duck hesitated, wondering if she should reveal her true character. Perhaps it was the only way to motivate him to action. She spoke slowly, as if trying to find the words, "A few days ago, I was just a regular ballet student. But now I know I was chosen to play a larger role. Because I am Princess Tutu."

"Princess Tutu," he breathed, seemingly recognizing the name. "You saw one of my Heart Shards."

Duck's eyes lit up. "Is that what that light was?"

He nodded. "After I shattered my heart to seal the Raven away, I tried gathering the shards. But I only have a few of them: sorrow, regret, and bitter disappointment."

"That's why I'm here!" Duck blurted out excitedly. "To get you the rest of the pieces of your heart! That's why my pendant led me to you!"

But Mytho shook his head. "I don't want the rest. That's why I stopped looking for them."

Duck blinked. "Why?"

Mytho turned his gaze to the books and said, "Those are the original copies of Drosselmeyer's books. Like me, they are the last of his surviving creation. Because of that, I only know one thing." He started to turn away. "It's time for the story… to end."

What did he mean by that? Duck wanted to inquire further, but Mytho was already walking off. "Please," she begged. "The town is counting on you. We need Prince Mytho back!" With a weary sigh, she realized she might have to tell Mytho just how grave the danger was.

* * *

Fakir entered the Raven's domain just as Autor was leaving. The bespectacled boy flashed him a smug smirk, but Fakir detected the unease in his posture that betrayed his show of confidence. The knight took his place and knelt in front of the Raven.

"Ah, Fakir, the brave knight reborn," the giant bird rumbled. "When I found you, I saw your potential to be the next Drosselmeyer." His expression darkened. "Now I fear I was mistaken."

Hoping his silver mask was enough to hide the disappointment in his voice, Fakir declared, "I've done everything you asked. My powers are still getting stronger." His eyes started to mist, but he felt safely concealed.

And then, "Remove that useless mask."

Fakir's heart sank. Still, he complied after only a moment's hesitation. He couldn't look at the Raven as he fought to keep the tears in.

He heard the Raven grumble. "It's just as I thought. You're too much like your father."

Fakir bristled at that accusation. "I killed him," he insisted.

"And you became weaker as a result!" The Raven's anger rose. "Your judgement was impaired, causing you to lose a duel against _Princess Tutu!_ "

Rage flooded through him, and in an instant he was on his feet- to attack, to protest, he wasn't sure, because no sooner had he risen than the Raven knocked him back with a swipe of his massive talons.

"Mytho is still alive!" shouted the Raven, looming threateningly over Fakir. "As long as he is, he poses a danger to our plans. I thought you were the one to stop him. Unless, you're no Drosselmeyer." The Raven sneered, "You're just a child in a mask."

* * *

The Raven's words continued to echo in Fakir's mind after he had left. Now he was in his personal writing room, the one said to have been used by Drosselmeyer himself, but he hadn't moved from the door. To his disgust, he realized he was still shaking in fear.

"He called me weak," Fakir seethed with fingers pressed to his face. "A child…" He lifted up his mask, clenched in his other hand, and saw his own glistening eyes reflected in the metal.

With a loud growl, Fakir slammed the mask into the wall. He winced at the sharp pain that flashed through his arm, the one Princess Tutu had injured, but he focused on the half of his mask that shattered in pieces. He threw the rest at the floor, crushing it into fragments under his boot.

The thought of Princess Tutu made his blood boil. He loathed her, that meddling girl. She had cost him his victory, and defeated him with a _dance_. And yet… he couldn't help but hold some sort of admiration for her.

 _No!_ Fakir shook his head to clear away the thought before he could analyze it.

The Raven wouldn't tolerate another mistake. Fakir knew he could easily suffer the same fate as the brave knight. With a determined grimace, he headed back out the door.

He wasn't going to try to become as strong as Drosselmeyer. He was _going_ to be as strong as Drosselmeyer.

* * *

 **As you can see, some scenes will not be in the same order as they were in the movie. I know it's short, but what do you think so far? Like with the first fanfic, I will be uploading a new chapter every Monday, so be sure to check back!  
**


	2. Narrow Escape

**Even though I loved** _ **The Last Jedi**_ **, I agree that the sidequest was rather boring, so I tried to make it easier to bear in this story.**

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Chapter Two: Narrow Escape

"They found us!"

As soon as Raetsel heard those words from her supporter Freya, she felt her blood run cold. It had only been a few hours since she'd sent Duck off to find Mytho; everyone was still recovering from their last battle. Forcing a calm demeanor so as not to send everybody in a panic, she ordered, "Get to the wagons and move out! Everyone else grab what you can carry and follow them!"

Pike, who quickly starting packing up provisions, asked, "How on earth did they find us so fast?"

Lillie spoke up, "I have no idea! I thought for sure I was running too fast for them to follow me back here!"

Anyone who was nearby whipped their head at the blonde girl in shock.

Raetsel impulsively slapped Lillie.

"Ow! What was that for?" she whined while rubbing her cheek.

"You led them right to us!" Raetsel scolded.

Femio looked like he was ready to faint. "We're all going to die…"

"No time for your nervous quips, Femio, just help everyone get out of here!"

"Wait!" Lillie started, eliciting a few groans from others. "I can redeem myself by leading an attack against the Final Draft so we can escape!"

Raetsel turned to assist Freya and she retorted, "There's no time for that, we have to go now!"

"Too late, I'm already doing it!"

The older woman glanced back, and to her horror she saw Lillie on horseback rushing towards the enemy, who were gaining on them fast. Pike and three others on horses followed her and were too far for Raetsel to call them back. "I hope you know what you're doing," she muttered to herself.

* * *

In the back of his stagecoach, Autor smirked at the band of Freedom Fighters. "We've caught them in the middle of their slow getaway." He signaled the men on horses beside him to run them down and the soldiers in wagons to fire their heavy cannons.

Fakir gripped the reins of his brown stallion and charged forward. "Follow my lead!" he told the other soldiers. Their plan was to surround the enemy, blocking any escape and picking off any stragglers.

"Sir!"

Fakir also saw the small group of Freedom Fighters charging at them in a desperate attempt to hold them off. He readied his crossbow, and when he was close enough he fired.

The arrow pierced a man's shoulder and he fell off his horse, giving Fakir room to maneuver towards the wagons.

Fakir shot at other Freedom Fighters, almost never missing his mark. This was how he was going to prove his worth, he was sure of it.

And then he saw her.

Raetsel was standing in the back of a covered wagon, watching all the chaos around her when her eyes met her son.

The knight kept pace at a distance with his weapon aimed at her. The Raven's taunts came back to him and he swore he could almost hear his master's voice commanding him to pull the trigger. Fakir gritted his teeth. _Just do it. You already killed your father._ But as he stared at her face, he saw sadness- and beyond that something he never expected to see from her again.

Love. Even after all he'd done, she still cared for him.

He lowered his weapon.

But that didn't stop one of his men from firing at the wagon anyway.

Fakir nearly cried out when he saw the arrow pierce Raetsel's chest. He froze, suddenly unsure of what he should do. An arrow whizzing past him snapped him out of his stupor. The Freedom Fighters were fighting back. Fakir ordered, "Fall back! We're too far from our cannons; they'll cover us!"

Instead of slowing down like the rest of his men, Fakir rode straight to Autor's coach. "I leave this to you. I'm going back to the base," he informed.

Autor grimaced. "Running away, are you?"

"I have more important things to do than slowly chase a parade," Fakir replied coolly. Without waiting for a comeback, he rode away.

Autor sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Coward," he muttered. He knew the Freedom Fighters would tire out eventually. It was only a matter of time.

* * *

Retreat.

Pike hated that word. It sounded like they had lost. And they very well may have. The rose-haired girl slumped her shoulders beside Lillie in the bumpy lead wagon. It was large enough for several Freedom Fighters, and all of them were anxiously waiting for news about how Raetsel was faring. Pike only wished she had done more in the attack.

Paulamoni, one of the senior Freedom Fighters who was in charge when Raetsel couldn't be, addressed them all from her seat once she had boarded. "Raetsel will be all right, but she needs plenty of rest," she started, eliciting sighs of relief. "In the meantime, I will do my best to lead us. Now the first thing we need to do is find a new base."

"How are we gonna find one with the Final Draft following us?" asked an anteater girl, appropriately named Anteaterina.

Lillie raised her hand. "I know! I could go scope out for a new base! It'll be so exciting!"

To almost everyone's surprise, Paulamoni seemed to consider. "That would be possible. However, I'd rather you not go alone."

Pike thought about Raetsel lying in the medical wagon because she hadn't been able to protect her. She thought about Duck, unaware any of this was happening and what danger she'd be in if she tried to find them. Maybe this was her chance to make it up to her friends. She nodded to herself and offered, "I'll go too."

Uzura banged on her drum. "Me too! I wanna go too, zura!"

Paulamoni smiled at them. "Thank you. We'll cover your escape. Be careful out there."

* * *

 **We'll get back to the more interesting stuff in the next chapter. In the meantime, please review and tell me what you thought of the changes.**


	3. Bonded

**The scenes with Duck, Mytho, and Fakir were the easiest and most enjoyable to write. I hope you like them as much as I do.**

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Chapter Three: Bonded

Mytho didn't know what to think of the girl. Even though she told him what had happened in his absence, he still wasn't convinced to help. Still, she persisted until she decided to sleep for the night.

Princess Tutu. The name prompted him to return to his collection of books and he picked up _The Prince and the Raven._ He flipped to the passage featuring the mysterious princess. It had actually been his favourite part when he first read it, though he wasn't sure why. She didn't have a very large role; in fact, she was only presented in a few sentences. But now that he had a face to the character, she became real to him.

Perhaps now he had a chance…

The prince frowned. He didn't want Princess Tutu to become another regret. He'd been disappointed by so many. And now, even Karon… But it was the girl's duty to help him, and he doubted she would give up. He figured he might as well let her try, and if she failed she would be convinced that the story needed to end.

* * *

Duck wasn't sure how long she had slept; the forest seemed just as dark as it did the previous day. Feeling well-rested, she sat up from her bed of leaves and rubbed her eyes. "I hope Mytho is ok," she mumbled to herself.

Then she picked up a faint sound, like a fast ticking clock. She glanced around as the sound got louder. "M-Mytho, is that you?" She soon recognized the noise as the turning of a gear, similar to when she received a vision from Drosselmeyer. Her eyes darted, expecting to see the old grinning man.

Instead she saw Fakir.

"Waah!" she gasped, eyes widening. She stared at him through a turning gear that was floating a few feet away from her.

Fakir turned his attention towards her slightly before she cried out. He appeared to have been in the middle of bandaging his right arm, but paused when he noticed her presence. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "You…"

Duck scrambled to her feet and backed away until she hit a tree. She'd been trying not to think of Fakir. But seeing him now flooded her head with memories, most unpleasant of all being the moment when he murdered his father. Princess Tutu may have been able to put that behind her, but not Duck.

"How are you doing this?" Fakir suddenly asked, almost curiously.

Duck blinked away tears. "Me? I'm not doing this!"

Fakir glanced away in thought. "You're right. You're too much of an idiot."

"Urgh!" Fueled by anger, Duck picked up the closest rock and threw it at Fakir. She saw him flinch, but much to her disappointment, the rock simply passed through the gear as if it was nothing and landed in the bushes. She huffed. "If you were right here, I'd-"

"Duck, who are you talking to?"

She spun around in surprise. "Mytho!" she blurted, then covered her mouth too late.

"Mytho?" Fakir spoke up, trying to gaze around her. "Where is he? I can't see anything except you."

Duck glanced nervously from Mytho to Fakir, then back. The prince seemed to be staring in her direction, but apparently couldn't see or hear Fakir. Better still, Fakir couldn't see Mytho. She stammered, "I was just-" But when she looked back at Fakir, he and the mysterious gear had vanished. "Huh?" _I wonder what that was all about…_ Duck shook her head. "Sorry, I was just talking to some… birds!" she claimed with an embarrassed laugh, which died down quickly. "That was… stupid."

"I don't think so," Mytho said.

She looked at him with a warm smile, then remembered that he didn't have all of his emotions yet, so he probably didn't know any better. "Um, did you need something?"

Mytho replied, "I wanted to tell you that I'll let you help me find my Heart Shards, but I need to explain why the story needs to stop."

Duck's heart lifted and she beamed. "Thank you, Prince Mytho! I won't let you down!"

He only made a small nod, then started walking away.

Duck bounded after him until she was walking alongside him. "So, why does the story have to end?" she asked.

Instead of answering, he asked, "How much do you know about _The Prince and the Raven_?"

Duck scrunched her face in thought. "Um, I know you and the Raven were fighting, and the Raven killed Fakir- I mean, your knight." She frowned, almost feeling sorry for him before quickly dismissing the thought. It didn't give him an excuse for what he did. "And Princess Tutu was in it, but I don't know what she did. That's about it."

Mytho was silent for a moment, then he said, "The Raven and I had been fighting for a long time. So when we escaped the book, I thought I could finally put a stop to him by shattering my own heart to seal him away. But if I regain all my Heart Shards, the Raven will be freed."

Duck's eyes widened. "Then the whole thing starts all over again," she realized.

"Yes. So it's better if I just stay out of this."

Duck balled her hands into tight fists. "No, wait! You can't let that stop you. The Raven is still using Fakir to manipulate the real world. Now that I'm here, we can figure out a way to defeat them together!"

He looked at her with the same doubtful expression that made her heart ache. "I wish I could believe you." He stopped walking and cast his gaze around. "You'd better transform into Princess Tutu now. It will be easier to locate the Heart Shard."

"Oh, right!" Duck closed her eyes as the bright red glow washed over her. She emerged from her metamorphosis with hands poised gracefully and heart full of serenity. She smiled at Mytho, but was disappointed that he only wore the same blank expression as before.

He looked towards the woods again. "One of them should be nearby."

Tutu swept her gaze around, landing on a dark shape on the ground in the distance. She'd been so focused on Mytho that she hadn't noticed it when they were walking. "What's that?"

"The Lake of Despair," Mytho replied. "Don't go near it."

With a name like that, Tutu was sure she wouldn't. She returned to her task. "Heart Shard? Where are you?" She leapt around the trees, trying to get a higher vantage point. With no luck there, she tried exploring the more secluded areas. Perhaps the Heart Shard was hiding.

Her instincts proved correct, for she saw a familiar red light peeking out from behind a bush.

"Hello there," she said gently so as not to scare it. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."

The Heart Shard slowly rose from the bush. Like earlier, he bore Mytho's likeness but his eyes were round with fear and he wouldn't stop trembling.

Princess Tutu reached out with one hand and invited, "Please dance with me."

The Heart Shard shook his head quickly before taking out a sword. He held it in front of him defensively and said, "No! Don't come any closer!"

Tutu began a slow ballet dance so as not to startle the Heart Shard further. "What sort of emotion are you?" she inquired.

"I am the feeling of fear," he answered shakily.

 _I thought so_ , Tutu mused, but she wanted to earn the Shard's trust. With a pirouette, she said, "Sometimes fear can be a good thing. It can keep a person safe, and motivate them to protect others. But it's no good on its own."

He kept his weapon raised and his eyes on her. "I want to be alone."

"Nobody wants to be alone." The princess slowed to a stop and held out both hands. "You don't have to run and hide anymore. I'll make sure you get back to where you belong." She approached him cautiously.

Seeming more frightened than before, the Heart Shard slashed his sword at the air in front of him in warning. "No! Go away!" But when she got close enough he dissolved into a shimmer of sparkles and floated over to Tutu's hands as a small red gem.

She carefully closed her hands over the Shard and walked over to Mytho. He appeared to have been watching the whole time, but if he reacted at all to it, he didn't show. "Here you go, my prince," she said as she released the jewel.

Mytho watched as it floated over to him and disappeared into his chest.

Tutu beamed. She had successfully returned a shard of Mytho's heart. A warm feeling rose in her own heart, and she realized she was proud of herself for accomplishing something she never imagined doing.

Then her smile faded.

Mytho was clenching his chest and his face looked incredibly pained.

"Mytho, what's wrong?" Tutu asked, stepping over to him.

His head snapped up and the moment his wide eyes made contact with hers, he back away. "S-stay away from me!"

Tutu stopped, feeling hurt. "Mytho…"

The Prince trembled as he stared at her. "I've only seen power this strong once before," he told her in a shaky voice. "It didn't scare me then. It does now!" With a terrified scream, he ran off into the forest.

"Mytho!" she called with an outstretched hand. She wanted to go after him, but his words froze her in place. Tears flooded her eyes and she sank to her knees. "What h-have I done?" she sobbed. "I just wanted to make him smile!"

* * *

 **I debated whether Duck should have her crush on Mytho or not, and I decided it wasn't necessary. What do you think? Please review!**


	4. Confrontation

**I was gone for the weekend and got back late yesterday, so that's why this chapter was posted today. Not that anyone cares though.**

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Chapter Four: Confrontation

"What's going on here?" Lillie asked curiously.

She, Pike, and Uzura had just arrived at the town square when the sun went down. Dozens of citizens wearing fancy attire were dancing and socializing around a large bonfire. Stands on the fringes of the streets sold all kinds of gifts.

Pike answered, "It must be the Fire Festival."

"Let's go party with them!"

Pike grabbed Lillie's arm and pulled her back before she could get away. "No getting distracted! We have a mission to accomplish. You too, Uzura." But when she looked down, the puppet was no where to be seen. "Uzura?"

A childish giggle accompanied by drumbeats filtered through the noise of the crowd.

"Uzura!" Pike called out. "Not now…" She started running after Uzura's voice, dragging Lillie behind her. "Come on Lillie!"

Lillie kept her other hand outstretched toward a food stand. "But I want a cookie!"

* * *

Burgundy eyes peeked from beneath her dark brown hair. Unbeknownst to her targets, she had been following them since they arrived in town. A smirk graced her lips.

Rue, as she called her alter ego, watched Pike and Lillie as they searched for Uzura, that meddlesome puppet that caused so much trouble for them earlier. She'd been tasked with capturing them, and now she had an opportunity.

Summoning a small flock of crow soldiers, she said, "Go, just as I told you."

* * *

This was not how Pike thought her day would go. And it was about to get worse. She finally caught up to Uzura and scooped her up in her arm. "Uzura, we have to stay together! Who knows what sort of enemies we'll run into?"

Lillie suggested, "How about crow soldiers?"

"Yeah, probably."

Lillie and Uzura pointed in front of Pike.

Around five crows with swords charged at them, and Pike moaned, "Oh you gotta be kidding me!" She took off with her friends in another direction, weaving through the crowd.

Eventually, they tried making their escape down an alley, but the crows were relentless in their pursuit. Just as Pike was beginning to lose hope, a door opened in front of them and a hand pulled her in.

"Quick, in here!" whispered a voice.

Pike panted, hearing Lillie's and Uzura's gasps as they hid in the dark room after their rescuer shut the door. The sounds of the crow soldiers faded, and then the door opened.

"Ok, we should be safe now."

Pike stepped out into the alley after the girl. "Thank you so much. I thought we were goners for sure!"

"We were so close!" Lillie wailed in disappointment.

The tall brunette turned to them. "No problem. I'm happy to help the Freedom Fighters."

"You know who we are?" Pike asked.

She chuckled. "It's quite obvious. Especially since the crows only seem to chase you. What were you doing at the festival?"

Lillie blurted out, "We're trying to find a new base! Oh, but don't tell anyone!"

"Relax. Your secret's safe with me."

"And who are you anyway?" Pike wanted to know.

The girl smiled and said, "My name is Rue. And I think I can help you out."

* * *

The afternoon rain did little to cheer Duck up. She had waited in the spot near her makeshift bed for Mytho to come back, but there was no sign of him. Sitting on a flat rock, she rested her head on her knees and let the rain wash over her.

"I tried to help, but I just made everything worse," she muttered, her tears mixing in with the raindrops. "Maybe I should never have come here." Feeling another sob in her throat, Duck squeezed her eyes shut and tried focusing on something else.

She tried thinking about the rain. It was cool and refreshing, and unlike most people, she loved to get caught in it. The gentle sound it made was also quite soothing. _Tap, tap, tap, tap, tick, tick, tick…_

Duck jumped off the rock and turned around. Sure enough, the floating gear from earlier was there, and so was Fakir.

"Why is the story connecting us?" Fakir asked, and it infuriated her that he seemed more confused than angry.

Duck wiped her tears away and replied, "I don't care," but she only partially meant it. Despite being curious, she didn't want to have anything to do with him. "It doesn't matter because I found Mytho and I won't let you hurt him!"

Fakir appeared to be walking towards her, which made the gear move closer. "So, he didn't tell you what happened between us?"

"I know everything about you," Duck claimed, not backing down. After her failed attempt from earlier, she doubted he could even touch her through the gear.

The knight stopped when he was just an arm's length away. "So you say." He narrowed his eyes, studying her. "You have that look in your eyes from that night in the forest, when you called me a monster."

"That's because you are a monster!"

Unexpectedly, Fakir's glare softened. "Yes I am," he said quietly.

Duck blinked, dumbfounded. Before she could say anything else, the gear spun away into the trees and disappeared, taking Fakir's haunted face along with it.

Fakir, meanwhile, had watched the girl vanish from his perspective. He frowned pensively, unsure why he allowed himself to be so vulnerable. Could it be that he didn't want her to think of him as a monster? But that's indeed what he had become. Even his parents had thought so.

A drop of water trailed into his eye and he wiped it away in surprise. Did some of the rain from the girl's side get through to him? He clenched his fist. "Just what is going on here?"

* * *

Much as she didn't want to, Duck kept thinking about Fakir's affirmation. It was probably just her, but he seemed miserable about it. She sighed. There was no time to wonder about that. Mytho was still upset by her and she wanted to make things right between them.

She thought about the emotions he now had: sadness, regret, disappointment, and fear. It was understandable for him to act the way he was. But she needed to convince him that he'd never feel better unless she got all his emotions back. He ran from Princess Tutu, but maybe he'd listen to Duck.

She eventually found him that evening hiding in a small cave. Peering inside, she whispered, "Prince Mytho? It's me, Duck. Can I just talk to you?"

To her relief, Mytho inched closer so that he wasn't completely in shadow.

When she saw he wasn't going to move, she asked, "What are you afraid of?"

He shuddered. "I'm afraid… of Princess Tutu," he told her, then looked away. "…And Fakir."

Duck sat down, intrigued. "Why Fakir? I know he's a jerk and all, but you're stronger than him, right?"

Mytho seemed to stare through her as he recounted, "Fakir's parents took me in after I had sealed away the Raven, but Fakir was the one who helped me regain most of my memories. From a young age he looked out for me, like a good brother. When I discovered his story-spinning powers I thought that he would help me defeat the Raven once and for all." His voice became shaky, as if it was difficult to continue. "But one day he turned on me. He must've thought that if he fought against the Raven, he would die just like my knight. So he tried to kill me instead, but I escaped."

Duck frowned, taking it all in.

"Raetsel blamed the Raven, but it was my fault. I failed. Because I was Prince Mytho. A hero," he finished bitterly.

"Our story needs a hero," Duck spoke up. "And I need someone to show me my place in all this." When he still seemed doubtful, she added confidently, "Fakir may have betrayed you, but Princess Tutu won't. I believe that you'll be much better when you have all of your emotions back."

He jolted, shaking his head quickly, and backed up further into the cave. "N-no! I don't want to see Princess Tutu again!"

Duck's heart sank. This did not go well at all.

* * *

 **Instead of introducing new characters for the subplot, I wanted to develop the characters I already used.** **Please review!**


	5. Courage

**Both** _ **The Last Jedi**_ **and** _ **Princess Tutu**_ **have a scene where the main protagonist sees the antagonist shirtless. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!**

* * *

Chapter Five: Courage

That night, Duck stared at the cloudy sky, wondering if the world beyond the gate ever saw the sun.

She heard the mysterious gear clank into place behind her, but this time she didn't turn around. "Not again," she whined. Then she remembered what Mytho had told her about Fakir and she figured she might as well use the opportunity to ask him a question that lingered in her mind. She reluctantly faced him. "Why did you-"

Fakir was wearing black shorts and a white towel across one of his bare shoulders when he turned to glare at her.

"Qua-!" Duck's hands flew to her mouth. Their connection must've just caught him after a shower, as water droplets still clung to his hair and face. Her eyes traced a large jagged wine stain birthmark that ran from his other shoulder down to his abdomen, like it was tearing him in two. Realizing she'd been staring, Duck averted her gaze. "Ah, sorry! I didn't mean to- I was just- S-should I wait until you get dressed?"

Fakir remained unfazed and made no such attempt.

Perhaps he thought her awkwardness was amusing. So Duck forced herself to look in his eyes and ignored the heat rushing to her face. "Why did you kill your father? And for that matter, why did you try to kill Mytho?" she demanded. "He was like a brother to you!"

"Is that what he told you?" said Fakir, narrowing those eyes of his- green, like the eerie forest where they first met.

"Yes. And your parents took care of both of you. So why do you…" She stopped, feeling a sob in her throat.

Fakir let out an impatient sigh. "Why what?"

Duck's lip quivered and she hesitated, wondering why she was even doing this.

More calmly, he repeated, "Why do I what?"

Duck peered at him through misty eyes. "Why do you keep hurting the people that love you?"

His brow twitched and he moved closer. "They didn't love me," Fakir told her with a steely gaze. "My mother tried to take advantage of my powers without taking my feelings into consideration. My father refused to give me the Lohengrin sword, never believing I could wield it. And Mytho thought I was better off dead."

"What?" She shook her head. "Mytho would never-"

"He did." Fakir continued, "He never told me about the knight's fate. Then when he discovered I found out, he was afraid the story wouldn't go the way he wanted it to. So he tried to kill me himself."

Duck's eyelids drooped. "That… That can't be true…" she whispered, more so to convince herself. So far Fakir hadn't lied to her.

Now Fakir was right up to her. "Let me ask you this. Did Mytho ever tell you what happens to Princess Tutu?"

She blinked up at him in confusion. Mytho didn't speak much of her alter ego; he wouldn't even let her read the book she was from. Before she could answer, the gear disappeared. Duck was left with new information, which raised more questions. "What happens to Princess Tutu?" she muttered.

Duck couldn't ask Mytho, not in the state he was in right now. And she didn't have time to wait for another chance encounter with Fakir, if she ever had one. She sighed, feeling the anxiety overwhelm her. And then she remembered something.

She turned her head and breathed, "The Lake of Despair." Maybe Mytho told her not to go near it because it had answers he didn't want her to know. Though it pained her to think that way about the Prince, she was willing to take the risk.

* * *

The lake was dark and eerily still. Looking in, she saw a perfect reflection. "I can't see the bottom," she said, squinting. She leaned closer, waiting for something to happen. As luck would have it, she leaned too far and lost her balance. "Quaaa-"

She fell headfirst into the cold lake. With a start, she realized she hadn't gulped in any water. In fact, she could breathe just as normally as she could on dry land. _This is no ordinary lake,_ she thought. Duck swam towards the bottom, knowing she would find something there.

When she reached the lakebed, she glanced around but saw nothing.

At first. A giddy chuckle that she recognized as belonging to Drosselmeyer filled the space, and then she heard his voice, "About time you showed up."

Duck's hands curled into fists. "Enough games, Mr. Drosselmeyer! Tell me what's going on!"

"Now what would be the fun in that?" Drosselmeyer mused. "As a writer, it would be irresponsible to simply spell everything out for you. Nobody likes too much exposition!"

She moaned in defeat and begged, "I just have to know what's gonna happen to Princess Tutu. _Please_."

Drosselmeyer sighed. "Oh, all right, I suppose I could make an exception this time." Optimistically he added, "Who knows? It might even make the story play out more interesting…"

A large gear suddenly moved in front of her and Duck saw the shadow of a figure. At first she thought it was another connection with Fakir, but the silhouette became clearer as it danced into focus. There was Princess Tutu, suddenly in light. Around her were the Prince's Heart Shards, and one by one they flew away from her. Once the Princess was by herself, her pendant started to glow. The red light brightened until it completely enveloped her and then it faded, leaving behind a small, yellow duck staring back at her. The vision ended and Drosselmeyer said nothing more.

He didn't have to. Duck understood exactly what was going to happen. She sank to her knees as she felt another onslaught of tears. _No… How is this my fate?_

* * *

"Maybe it would've been better if I hadn't known," Duck confessed. She was sitting on a rock by the Lake of Despair as she dried off.

Fakir listened to her whole story silently. Actually, she'd been relieved to see him again, as he seemed to be the only one to understand how alone she felt. "You're not alone," he said gently. Then he looked away, as if surprised by himself.

"Neither are you," she found herself saying. Their eyes met, and Duck suddenly realized how close they were to each other. If Fakir was actually there, she'd be close enough to touch his face, his hair. "It isn't too late to work together." Slowly, she reached out her hand.

Fakir seemed to consider. He removed one of his gloves and tentatively reached out to accept her offer of truce.

Duck placed her palm against the portal, expecting it to ghost through Fakir's. But to her astonishment, she felt their hands make physical contact.

Fakir stared at her with wide eyes, apparently stunned as well. He shifted his fingers, folding them between the spaces in hers.

Duck did the same, amazed that she could even feel the pulses beneath Fakir's skin. Warmth rose in her cheeks and she found she couldn't look away.

Until Mytho yelled, "Stop!"

Duck gasped, turning her head in his direction. She felt her hand close on nothing and she looked for Fakir, but he was gone again. She whirled on Mytho, but it was more out of disbelief than anger. "Is it true? Did you try to kill him?" she questioned.

"Leave here at once!" Mytho insisted, then turned to run away.

"No, stop!" Duck ran in front of him, blocking his path. "I know you're scared, Mytho, but I'm not leaving until you tell me what really happened!"

Tears glazed Mytho's eyes and he looked away. "I didn't tell Fakir about the knight's fate because I didn't want him to be frightened. But he found out anyway and came to confront me. Worried that he might side with the Raven, I attacked him. We fought, but I stopped myself before I could deal the final blow." He closed his eyes in shame. "I frightened Fakir, just as I'd never wanted to. And because of my lapse in judgement I'd unintentionally pushed Fakir away. Just like you…"

Duck's gaze softened. "We can still get Fakir back. If he sides with us, I know we can end the story properly!"

The prince stared at her with a hardened expression. "This is not going to go the way you think."

Duck sighed in frustration. Clearly Mytho was beyond reasoning with. "Then I guess it's up to me," she told him determinedly.

* * *

It wasn't until she'd gotten back to the other side of the gate that Duck realized she didn't have a plan. She stuck Mytho's sword into the ground and leaned on it contemplatively. How could she get Fakir to switch sides?

A quaint little melody played in front of her and she looked up. She broke into a smile when she saw who was approaching. "Miss Edel!"

The mint-haired marionette slowed her hand-cranked barrel organ to a stop when she stood in front of the girl. "It's nice to see you again, Duck," she greeted.

Duck then recalled how she last saw Edel when she ran away from her after refusing to get involved in the story. "Miss Edel, I'm sorry. I want to do what's best for Mytho, and now with Fakir…" She lowered her eyes, not sure what she was trying to say. "I just don't know what to do."

Edel opened a compartment on her street organ and revealed a tray of gleaming jewels. She picked one of them up and showed it to Duck. "The name of this gem is Courage. It is a single gem made of two."

Duck examined it curiously. Two hearts, one white and one black, were fused together as a pendant. "It's beautiful!" she remarked. "But why are you showing me this?"

"It takes courage to do the right thing," the woman answered, "and sometimes a partner to help you."

Duck straightened in realization. "Oh! You think I should go to Fakir to get him to team up with me? That would definitely require some courage." She nodded decisively. "I'll do it. Thank you, Miss Edel!" She ran off with a wave.

* * *

Mytho approached the stone crevasse housing Drosselmeyer's books, lit branch in hand. Maybe the Bookmen where right when they had said keeping those books was dangerous to the whole town. If the worsening events from _The Prince and the Raven_ were any indication, the consequences of allowing any of Drosselmeyer's books to survive would be disastrous.

Before he could get close enough, a red figure materialized in his way. Automatically he jumped back, but relaxed when he saw it was just another Heart Shard. "Who are you?"

The Heart Shard replied, "I am the feeling of courage."

At one time, Mytho would probably have accepted the Heart Shard to return to him. But now… He shook his head resolutely. "I'm going to end all the stories," he said.

The Heart Shard of courage stared back at him, unmoving. As if he was daring him to do so.

And then Mytho found himself buckling under the hard gaze. What if he regretted this decision as well? He lowered his arm in defeat; he couldn't do it.

But the Heart Shard had no trouble taking the burning branch from Mytho's hand and throwing it on the dried leaves in front of the stone library.

"No!" Mytho cried out. He wanted to rush over and save the last relics of Drosselmeyer, but his intense fear at seeing the tall flames prevented him. He gaped at the Heart Shard in shock. "The original Drosselmeyer books!"

"Have you read them?" asked the Heart Shard.

The Prince looked away sheepishly and stammered, "W-well, I…"

"They weren't page-turners," the Shard admitted. "And they don't contain anything that Princess Tutu needs."

At the mention of the magical princess, Mytho shuddered. "I don't want to have anything to do with her. I'm better off without my heart."

"That's not the real reason."

Mytho sat down and wiped a tear from his eye. "What if I can't protect her the way I couldn't protect Fakir?"

The Shard moved until he was sitting beside him. "Failure is all part of a hero's journey. You have to learn from it if you want to develop into a better character."

"I'm too afraid."

"Being afraid but doing the right thing anyway- that's courage. Princess Tutu went to Fakir and is trying to restore your heart, despite knowing about her fate. If she can have courage, so can you."

Mytho blinked. He'd never thought about it like that before. Princess Tutu was still willing to risk her future for him and everyone trying to give the story a happy ending. Perhaps he was being too self-centered instead thinking of the bigger picture. "I understand," he said at last. "If I am to grow as a true hero, I need all my emotions. I do want Princess Tutu to restore my heart." He closed his eyes, feeling a warm energy flow into his chest, but brighter than the fire before him. Immediately he was filled with the drive to go on despite the fear of "what if's".

The Prince rose to his feet and turned away from the fire that burned in the empty clearing.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	6. The Sacrifice

Chapter Six: The Sacrifice

 _This is too easy!_ Rue thought with glee. So far Pike, Lillie, and Uzura showed complete trust in their "rescuer". They hadn't even recognized her! Instead they believed her story that she was a ballet student at the academy, especially since she donned one of the official uniforms. And now they were willingly following her to their demise, thinking she was showing them the perfect place for their new hideout. _Soon all the Freedom Fighters will be captured, and then I'll have Mytho…_

"Hey Rue, can I ask you something?"

Rue snapped out of her thoughts and glanced at Pike walking alongside her. "I don't see why not."

"Well, why don't you join the Freedom Fighters? You're obviously against what the Final Draft is doing."

Rue paused to carefully construct a reply. "I guess because it's smarter to stay neutral. No sides means no enemies." It wasn't entirely a lie. She only went along with her father's army because he promised Mytho would be hers once they captured him and removed his Heart Shards. Whatever the Final Draft did afterward didn't matter to her.

Pike looked down thoughtfully. "That makes sense… But what happens if you get caught in the middle?"

 _They just don't quit,_ Rue mentally sighed, then said, "So far that hasn't happened to me. But if it does, I'll do whatever I need to survive."

Lillie beamed. "Your life sounds so lonely! How cute!"

The brunette was on the verge of losing her cool. "What?"

Uzura piped up, "She means you'd be happier with friends, zura!"

"Yeah!" Pike added. "It's nice to be alone sometimes, but it isn't fun when you haven't got anyone to count on. No sides means no friends either, right?" She gave her a thumbs up. "Don't worry, Rue, we got your back!"

Rue looked at them, more confused than anything. "Oh. Thank you," she replied automatically. She hadn't expected them to go that far. After all, the Raven had made it clear that everyone was out for their own interests and would never care about someone like her. Indeed, Rue was aligned with the Final Draft, but she wouldn't call any of them her friends. So why would these girls treat her like one?

Rue frowned, hoping she wasn't getting in too deep.

* * *

As Duck approached the Final Draft's new base, she wondered how she would be able to get to Fakir without detection.

"I could try to surrender," she reasoned. "But there's a chance they'll take me to someone else. If only I could be someone they weren't looking for." Then the idea presented itself almost immediately and she lit up. "What am I saying? Of course I could be! I could go in as a duck!"

Hiding in the closest alley, she quacked. Just like the first time, she felt herself shrink and her body morphed into the avian shape she was born with. Duck bundled her clothes around Mytho's sword and carried them on her back as she waddled out into the open. She took a deep breath to calm herself. "I'll just act naturally."

The guards that were posted at the gate glanced at her when she walked by but seemed disinterested.

 _Don't mind me. Just a regular duck out for a stroll with some laundry…_ Duck casually made her way to the front door just as someone was leaving. Unnoticed, she slipped inside before the door closed.

Duck allowed herself a sigh of relief. "That actually worked…" she muttered. "Now how am I gonna find Fakir?" She studied her surroundings. "If the boys' dorm is anything like the girls', the locker room should be nearby." That would be a good place to start.

The first floor wasn't very busy, so it was easy for Duck to get to the locker room without anyone seeing her. "Now which locker is Fakir's?" As she was breathing, she caught his scent. It seemed like her sense of smell was heightened as a duck. Slightly embarrassed that she knew what Fakir smelled like, Duck sniffed out his locker and went inside.

It was just then that she realized it might take Fakir a while to find her. "Aw, I could be here for hours!" Duck moaned. She started thinking of a new plan.

But then the locker room door opened.

Duck held her breath, afraid to make even the slightest sound. Her little heart jumped when she heard footsteps stop right in front of Fakir's locker. She flinched when the door opened.

Staring back at her was Fakir.

Her plan had worked. She wanted to be glad, but then she wasn't sure what to do. _Should I say something? Oh right, how can I? I'm a duck._

Fakir didn't seem surprised. In fact, the corner of his mouth twitched into an amused smirk. The locker room door opened a second time and Fakir quickly removed Duck, her clothes, and Mytho's concealed sword and carried them in one arm. With his other, he wrapped his cape around them.

Duck let out a tiny gasp at being pressed so close to Fakir. As he started to walk away, she peeked from behind his cape to see the Final Draft member, who was an iguana, and was relieved that he didn't seem suspicious. Perhaps everyone knew better than to question Fakir.

She kept quiet for the rest of the walk, safely hidden in Fakir's cloak. It was oddly comforting, her head against his chest listening to his steady heartbeat. Before long they were outside in the courtyard. No one else was around.

Fakir put Duck and her clothes down beside a pond and said at last, "So you decided to come after all."

 _He was expecting me?_ Duck tilted her head, wondering how he knew.

Fakir stood and started to walk back to the building, taking Mytho's sword with him. "When you're ready, I'll be waiting right inside."

She watched him shut the door and then turned her attention to the pond. "He knows I'm a duck too…" Somehow that saddened her. But she couldn't dwell on that right now. "I have to focus on my mission. For Mytho. For Fakir. And for everyone that needs a happy ending!"

* * *

Pike had to admit she found it a bit odd that they hadn't run into any trouble since meeting Rue, but she figured Rue knew the best paths to avoid the Final Draft.

Their leader herself had been mostly quiet for the last while, as if contemplating something she didn't want to share. Either that, or she was tuning out Lillie's constant ramblings.

Eventually though, Rue lead them to the most unexpected place of all- the academy. "We're almost there," she spoke up.

Pike slowed, anxiety creeping up inside her. "The academy? But the boys' dormitory is the Final Draft's new hideout."

Rue waved her hand. "Relax, the place I'm taking you is nearby," she clarified. "There's no one around right now. We can sneak around the back of the dorm- it's a shortcut."

"But-" Pike started, but Rue sprinted ahead toward the wall.

Lillie started to follow. "Come on, Pike! What could go wrong?"

Uzura bounded after her, drumming all the way. "Shortcut, zura! Shortcut!" she chimed.

Seeing no other choice, Pike reluctantly caught up to them.

Rue kept running along the outer boundary until she slipped into a narrow corridor and out of view.

"Slow down, Rue!" Pike called. She dove into the passageway, nearly falling down the stairs she didn't know where there. Everything was very dark, and the only indication her friends were there were the sounds of their footsteps echoing.

When she reached the bottom, her eyes adjusted and Pike gasped in horror.

Rue was being held captive by Autor.

"Whaat?" Lillie squealed. "How'd he know we were here?"

Pike clenched her fists and growled, "Autor, let her go!"

Strangely, Autor smirked and said, "Of course." He released his grip on Rue's arm.

Even stranger, Rue remained at his side with a chilling smile of her own.

Pike didn't understand. "W-what's going on?"

Autor turned to the brunette and complimented, "Well done, Kraehe. You played your part exceedingly well."

"Played your part?" Pike echoed in disbelief. "Kraehe?"

She chuckled. "I'm surprised you didn't notice earlier." Rue twirled into the air on a wave of black wind and feathers. When she descended, her hair was done up and she sported a low-cut black tutu. Princess Kraehe stared back at them. "Such a pity. For you."

Lillie exclaimed, "What a twist! A betrayal!"

Autor pushed the bridge of his glasses up on his nose and stated, "With you out of the way, the Freedom Fighters will have nowhere to hide. I'm going back to the hunt." He walked past them and started up the stairs. "You may eliminate them when ready, Kraehe."

Kraehe nodded and summoned four crow soldiers to surround the girls.

Lillie clutched Pike's shoulders and squeaked, "I'm too cute to die!"

Pike gulped and frowned at Kraehe. "Rue, don't do this. Please," she begged.

"Even if you had stayed in the Final Draft, Pike, we wouldn't be friends," Kraehe told her, though she seemed almost disappointed. She shook her head and her glare became steely. "Soldiers, on my command."

The crows raised their axes, red eyes fixed on their targets.

Pike shut her eyes and braced herself, still hoping some part of Rue was real.

Kraehe took a breath, then parted her lips. "Execute."

The back wall suddenly smashed open and a stampede of bulls charged towards them. Riding at the front of the herd was none other than Paulamoni.

Kraehe gasped but didn't get out of the way in time. She disappeared in the sea of bulls, and Pike knew they would be next.

"Run!" Paulamoni shouted, apparently unable to control them.

While the crows panicked, Pike shoved Lillie towards the stairs. "Go now!" They shakily ran up the stairs without looking back. The steps started to crumble beneath them and they just barely made it out.

Lillie glanced over her shoulder as they ran away. "The whole dormitory is collapsing and it looks really cool!"

Pike couldn't resist stealing a glance as well, if only to see if Paulamoni was ok. But to her dismay, the entire foundation had been compromised, causing the structure to fall in on itself. Paulamoni must've crashed the bulls from one side of the building to the other, and now she was most likely buried beneath the rubble. Pike wiped her eyes. There would be time to mourn later.

"Pike-zura! Lillie-zura!"

The two girls turned to the familiar voice. "Uzura!" To her surprise, Pike hadn't even noticed that the puppet wasn't with them.

Uzura gestured to the damaged building. "I brought help, zura!"

Pike's eyes widened. "You got Paulamoni to save us?"

Lillie hugged Uzura and rubbed her little head. "Aww, thanks Uzura!"

Pike smiled, but she knew it was still too early to celebrate. "Come on, let's get back to the Freedom Fighters."

* * *

 **Yay the subplot is done.**


	7. Balance

**I wanted the fight scene to be its own chapter because it's so darn epic! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 7: Balance

Duck's hope deflated when Fakir insisted on taking her to the Raven. Still, she didn't stop trying to persuade him to come back to the Freedom Fighters with her, even as he took her into the Raven's domain.

"You don't have to do this," she urged, but got no response. "Fakir?"

The knight kept walking, but at the sound of his name he turned his head. "What?"

Duck met his eyes and insisted, "I know we can find a way to defeat the Raven and return the pieces of Mytho's heart. Together."

Fakir studied her with those eyes of his- green, like the pleasant forest where they first met. "The only way to end the story is by working with the Raven," he stated, tightening his grip on the Prince's sword.

Duck frowned. She wanted to say something else, but then she noticed around eight crow guards standing on either side of them. When Fakir kneeled she realized they had come into the presence of the Raven himself. She craned her head and peered up at the giant creature. _T-that's the Raven?_

"Well done, Fakir," he rumbled. "My faith in you is restored." His burning red eyes focused on Duck. "At last, Princess Tutu has awakened. A new villain rises, and a new hero to meet him. Unfortunately for you, this is where your story ends."

Duck stood her ground defiantly. "You're wrong! The story is not over yet!" Her pendant started to glow. "Because I am Princess Tutu!" Energy flowed around her like a refreshing wave and she felt the rage leave her. When the transformation was complete, she declared, "You cannot win. Remove the curse on the town or be defeated."

The Raven sneered, "Foolish child. You have no power over me."

As if to prove him wrong, Princess Tutu leapt at him and prepared to use her magic vines.

But the Raven was faster and knocked her away with a blow from his talons. "Your will is strong, but it is no match for me."

Princess Tutu flipped through the air and landed on her feet. "You underestimate me. And Fakir."

The Raven chuckled darkly. "Pathetic girl. It was I who connected your paths. I knew his weakness and your compassion would lead you into my grasp."

Tutu's eyes widened in disbelief. _That was all the Raven's doing? Using our bond to manipulate both of us?_ She wanted to look at Fakir, to see if he knew all along, but black vines sprouted from the ground and wrapped around her. "Aaah!" she screamed in pain as the tendrils dug into her skin.

"The sooner you tell me Mytho's location, the sooner this is over," the black bird snarled.

Princess Tutu struggled, but she was unable to move and could only cry out difficultly, "You can… search all over town… but you… will never find him!" She heard the Raven growl at first, but then he sounded curious.

"Hmm. Is that perhaps because the Prince is not in the town?" He let out a sharp laugh. "I didn't expect Mytho to find a way beyond the gate. Regardless, after we deal with the Freedom Fighters, we will give Mytho the story ending he deserves."

"No!" The trap of vines turned her to face Fakir, but his gaze was kept towards the ground.

The Raven boomed, "Now, my loyal knight, dispose of this useless character and fulfill your destiny!"

Fakir finally looked at her but his expression was stoic. Without a word, he stood up and unsheathed his sword.

The princess gasped softly. "Fakir, please…"

"You think he can save you?" the Raven mocked. "He wrote your new ending before you even arrived." Sadistically, he quoted, "'Where there was conflict, he now had resolve. Where there was weakness, strength. The knight turned his sword to strike.'"

Tutu watched in horror as Fakir pointed his sword at her chest, but her heart was already broken. "Fakir…" she breathed, a tear streaming down her cheek.

"'And then he unleashed it, and killed his true enemy!'" finished the Raven.

In a split second, Fakir launched the sword in his other hand, Prince Mytho's sword, at the Raven.

The blade plunged deep into his feathered chest, and the giant bird roared in pain.

The vines around Princess Tutu disintegrated and she filled her lungs with air. She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see the Raven explode in a blast of red light and smoke. Speechless, Tutu gazed at Fakir, who regarded her with a look of sincere trust.

The moment was shortened, however, when the Raven's elite crow guards closed in on them, swords raised and cawing in fury.

With a shared glance, Tutu and Fakir stood back to back, her in fourth position and him in a fighting stance. As the crows approached, Tutu pirouetted and scattered flower petals in all directions. Fakir took the opportunity to strike at the nearest crows who were blinded, and managed to take out one of them.

While Fakir used his sword, Princess Tutu took advantage of her limber ballet moves to dodge and distract the guards. Three came at her at once and she blocked their swords with her magic fan, but they pushed her back into Fakir. Her free hand instinctively reached for purchase and she grasped his thigh, using it for leverage to launch herself into the air.

Fakir spun, cutting through a guard focused on Tutu and scattering the ones after him.

The princess landed on the other side of the crows and immediately sprouted tall vines from under her shoes. From above she saw one guard get ensnared while the other two flew up to attack her. At the last second, she leapt down. One of them pursued her, attacking so as to separate her from Fakir. Tutu leapt out of the way to avoid a blow and the crow sliced through a tall white feather instead.

After easily killing the crow trapped in vines, Fakir turned his attention to the one coming at him from the side. Thinking fast, he dodged a blow and grabbed hold of the guard, using it as a shield when another tried to stab him. It vanished, and he continued to parry with the other three crows.

They circled him, brandishing their weapons as they waiting for him to make the next move. Fakir kept his sword pointed in defense, weighing the options. Behind them he caught sight of another guard attacking Princess Tutu relentlessly. He saw her try to evade a strike, only to get grazed in the arm. The knight winced when he heard her cry out. _Hold on, Duck!_ He needed to get over there.

Focusing, Fakir spun into another aggressive attack. The brutality of his strikes defeated two of them, but a mistake cost him his sword. The other guard got hold of him from behind and held its blade to his neck. Grunting in effort, Fakir strained to push the sword away.

Tutu blocked the crow guard's sword again with her magic fan, but the ache in her arm told her she wouldn't be able to keep it up for long. The familiarity of the situation triggered a memory, when she was defending herself against Fakir. Quickly, she flipped over the guard and knocked its sword out of its grip with her fan. The blade made contact with the crow and it disappeared.

Princess Tutu panted in relief, then checked on Fakir. Her heart sank when she saw him in peril. She was about to run to him, but a gleam caught her eye and she noticed Mytho's sword on the ground nearby. It must've fallen when the Raven vanished. Wasting no time, she picked it up and yelled, "Fakir!"

He turned his head to see her throw the Prince's sword to him. Fakir reached out with one hand and caught the sword by the hilt. In an instant he whipped it over his shoulder and struck the remaining crow guard in the head. With the threat gone, Fakir was able to breathe again and he gave Tutu a look of silent thanks.

The exertion took its toll on Princess Tutu and the energy left her, turning her back into her regular girl form. Duck brushed her disheveled hair out of her eyes and smiled at Fakir. But she remembered it wasn't over yet. "The Freedom Fighters! Come on, there's still time to save them!" She started to head for the exit, but stopped when she saw Fakir wasn't following. "Fakir?"

He sheathed his sword and looked at her seriously. "Forget about the story, Duck. Mytho, the Raven, the Freedom Fighters… Forget them all."

Duck stared at him in confusion. "What? Why would you say that?"

Fakir advanced on her with Mytho's sword, but there was no hostility in him, and somehow that scared her more. "Duck, I want you to join me." He held out his gloved hand. "Together we can create a new story for ourselves, no matter what anyone says."

Tears formed in her eyes and she begged, "Please don't go this way, Fakir."

"You're still holding on!" Fakir snapped. "Let go!"

She frowned in disenchantment. Duck had been so sure that Fakir would agree with her ideals. How could he still not see that controlling others through story-spinning was outright unethical?

More gently, he went on, "What about your fate? You know what's going to happen if you return all the Heart Shards to the Prince. You said so yourself."

Duck bit her lip, but it didn't stop the tears from falling.

Fakir encouraged, "Say it."

Finally, she admitted quietly, "I'll turn back into a duck."

"You'll never become human again," he confirmed. "No one will even remember you. You have no real place in this story. You're just a duck."

Duck lowered her head and sniffed.

"But not to me."

She looked up at his soft gaze, conflicted.

Fakir moved closer and offered his hand again. "Join me." His voice was barely over a whisper, "Please."

He was so earnest; part of her wanted to accept. Of course she didn't want to stay as a duck forever. But to rewrite their destinies at the cost of others would be selfish. There had to be another way.

Duck grabbed Mytho's sword by the hilt and tried prying it out of Fakir's grasp, but he was stronger and forced the blade into the ground.

Unsheathing his own sword, he struck it down on the blade of the Prince's sword with a loud growl.

The blade shattered in half, smaller bits of metal scattering around them.

While Fakir recoiled, Duck wasted no time in grabbing the two largest pieces of the sword and made a dash for the exit. She didn't want to look back, for if she did she feared she would change her mind.

* * *

By the time Fakir processed what just happened, Duck was already too far gone. He stood in brooding silence, simmering over the fact that the girl rejected his offer again. "How could she be such an _idiot_?!" he growled.

He wasn't even sure why he shattered Mytho's sword. Maybe he thought if he did she would've stayed. A sentimental mistake, for now it was impossible to remove the pieces of Mytho's heart without the sword.

Fakir spun around to leave, only to find a startled Autor standing there in the process of quickly tucking his letter opener back in his pocket.

"What happened?" Autor demanded sharply.

Fakir sheathed his sword and replied, "Princess Tutu killed the Raven." He knew it was a blatant lie, but he hoped Autor was too ignorant to question him further.

Thankfully, he didn't, although he did narrow his eyes in suspicion. "I thought I saw a girl running outside on my way here. She must be returning to the Freedom Fighters."

Fakir pushed past him. "Then let's go after them and finish this."

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Autor sneered. He stood his ground with clenched fists and proclaimed, "The Raven is dead! _I_ should be the one in command!"

The knight whirled on Autor and seized him by the collar. He glared into the boy's terrified eyes and spat, "The Raven is dead. Drosselmeyer is _my_ grandfather."

Autor choked out, "Yes… Sir."

Fakir dropped him and headed for the exit. He'd already wasted enough time.

After gathering his followers, he lead them out to the last known sighting of the Freedom Fighters. Because of the recent destruction of the dorm, many of the Final Draft had to abandon the chase to salvage what they could, letting the enemy get farther away. Unfortunately, by the time they got there any trace of his mother's group was lost.

Autor scowled, clearly not bothering to hide his disdain.

Fakir ignored him and stared out at the quiet streets. _You'll regret this, Duck,_ he thought impulsively in an effort to counter the moisture forming in his eyes. _I'll make sure of it._

* * *

 **:(**


	8. Return of the Hero

**This is the final chapter. It's short, and it deviates from the movie plot, but it was the best compromise I could come up with.  
**

* * *

Chapter Eight: Return of the Hero

Duck didn't stop running until she was far enough into town, and by then her lungs felt like they were about to burst. She wiped her eyes, wondering how she was going to find the Freedom Fighters' new hideout, if they had one by now.

The streets were empty at this late hour, but a few lamps brightened signs and doorways. Duck wandered, keeping her eyes peeled for anything that might be a clue. She glanced down an alley but kept walking, only to step back and do a double-take. "What's that?" she asked herself.

The back face of a building had a decorative stone carving above six feet of bricks. An inscription on it read, "Now we are two".

"Where have I heard that before?" Duck pondered. "Now we are two… Oh yes! A single gem made of two!" She peered closer, noticing a small hole in the decoration, like something was supposed to go there. "A gem," she realized. Duck looked at the one she was wearing. It was about the same size. "Here goes."

She held up her pendant to the hole for a moment, then the wall gently shook. No, not the wall, but a secret door. The layers of bricks under the inscription lowered to the ground, revealing steps leading down to an underground tunnel. "Whoa!" Duck breathed in awe. Edel must've lead her here for a reason.

"Duck!" two female voices exclaimed.

Before she could even turn around, Duck was tackled by none other than Pike and Lillie.

Ever the dramatic, Lillie proclaimed, "We thought we'd lost you for good!"

"No we didn't," Pike muttered. "But we were worried about you."

Duck smiled at them, even as Lillie kept rubbing her head. "I'm fine," she lied, not wanting them to worry further. "I'm glad to see you recovered, Pike."

Lillie laughed. "Oh, I wouldn't say that!"

Pike sighed wearily with a shake of her head. "We'll tell you about it once we find a new hideout."

"Oh! Um…" Duck gestured to the open doorway. "I found this secret entrance. We can hide in here for now."

"Aw, how come she did our job so easily?" Lillie pouted.

Pike ignored her and smiled. "It's perfect!" As the other Freedom Fighters caught up, she lead them inside the tunnel.

Duck stayed outside, making sure everyone got in. It alarmed Duck to see there were still talking animals, meaning the curse on the town was still in effect. If the Raven hadn't been the source, then who was? Her thoughts were interrupted by seeing Raetsel and Uzura when it was their turn into the secret area.

"Duck-zura!" the small puppet chimed while latching onto her leg. "I missed you, zura!"

Duck patted her head. "I missed you too, Uzura." She prompted her friend to go inside.

Raetsel smiled at her, but Duck could tell she was hiding pain and weakness. Her shawl was draped over one of her arms, concealing a bandage on her chest. But she went inside before Duck could get a better look.

Duck gave a final sweep to make sure she didn't leave anybody out.

And then her eyes landed on Fakir. Through the magical gear that was evidently not the Raven's doing either, she saw him look up at her.

Her breath hitched. Instead of the narrowed eyes or flared nostrils she expected, Fakir almost looked guilty. But she'd already made up her mind. While she still cared for him, Duck wouldn't bend to his will. So let him think she'd given up. He'd soon see otherwise. If there was one thing being a duck had taught her, it was that there's always another way.

Duck stepped into the tunnel and let the door shut.

* * *

The loud thud of whatever cut off Duck from Fakir made him flinch and it continued to echo through his brain. But the worst part was the look on Duck's face. He'd never known how much a single expression could hurt him. While there was no hatred in her eyes, as there once had been, there was no compassion either. Just cold, hard disappointment.

Fakir stayed where he was, even after the gear had already gone. Why did he care whether Duck agreed to join him to rewrite their stories or not? He squeezed his eyes shut, wishing the thought of her would just leave him alone.

Alone. That's all he was now. This was what it felt like to be Fakir. Forever.

* * *

In a room in the depths of the catacombs, the Freedom Fighters congratulated and consoled each other.

Duck sat by herself and watched the friendly chatter with a wistful smile. But her gaze soon drifted to the two broken pieces of Mytho's sword in her hands. A figure sat beside her and she didn't have to look over to know who it was. "I'm sorry I couldn't bring Mytho back," she said quietly.

Raetsel nodded. "I know. It's all right."

"But how do we continue the story from this?" Duck wanted to know.

Raetsel put an encouraging hand on her shoulder and assured, "We have everything we need."

Duck managed a smile, but wished she could be as hopeful as Raetsel. All of a sudden she heard the conversations die down. She followed everyone's gazes toward one of the hallways where a shadow stretched across the floor towards them.

A tall figure blocked some of the lamps as it walked closer, casting the person in silhouette.

Friend or foe, no one could tell. Everyone just stared wordlessly with held breath.

Only when the person entered the chamber and removed his hood did everyone recognize him.

"Mytho," Duck gasped in delight.

The Prince nodded, no longer the fearful boy she last saw. He stopped in front of Raetsel, the woman who adopted him and perhaps loved him more than anyone. He opened his mouth to speak, but Raetsel started first.

"I know what you're going to say," she joked with a warm smile. "I tied my hair back."

"It looks nice," Mytho remarked. Even though he probably had no real opinion yet, he must've thought a response like that was appreciated. "I will retake my role. But I can't save Fakir."

She glanced down with a small shake of her head. "I've held out hope for so long." She whispered tearfully, "I know my son is gone for good."

Mytho's eyes shone. "No one's ever really gone."

Raetsel gave him a weak smile and told him, "I'm just glad you're here at the end."

"The story is just beginning," Mytho declared. "The Freedom Fighters are reborn today. And I will not be the last hero."

Duck could almost feel the hope fill the room. Dozens of gazes lit up with renewed excitement. It finally felt like this wasn't all for nothing, like they finally had a chance to win. Duck smiled proudly at Mytho. _I will get the rest of your heart back,_ she vowed. _And I'll wait for Fakir to return on his own._

One thing she couldn't wait for, however, was to see what happens next.

The End

* * *

 **If anyone wants, I'll make a sequel when Episode 9 comes out. I'm pretty sure I know how that one will go so I'm not as anxious about it as I was about 8.  
**

 **Thank you for reading, and please review!**


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